Home Distiller

Hi everyone,

I've been around for a month or so so I figured it's time for a post here.

I was recently married in Kentucky and toured several distilleries, including Wild Turkey, Makers Mark, Heaven Hill, and Woodford Reserve (my favorite). That put a spark in me, how the hell does this distilling thing work? Is it really just evaporation and condensation? That doesn't sound too hard, so why do most governments dish out massive punishments for it?

I start to dig, and find out once more it's all about money. Humanity WILL drink, and the govs figure they can tax whatever they want and the folks will pay. Sheesh.

I been homebrewing for about 3 years now and haven't made a bad batch of beer yet, so I figure this may be the next logical step to take. I build a piss-poor bokakob still because I haven't held a soldering torch since probably middle school metal shop in '87. You put enough biscuit on things the holes don't leak. I need to make friends with someone who can really weld.

I'm in an apartment, so no fancy turkey fryer million BTU gas stoves for me, just a crappy electric job that I have beat the hell out of living here. My wife and I cook like mad, as well as make beer, cheese, mushrooms, and much more. I think of my kitchen almost like a mad science lab. My wife is cool with whatever I do, as long as I clean up my mess, which I've trained myself to do religiously. Great relationship, I tell ya.

Tonight I'm running my 4th run. All have been gerber wash, with the exception of the current one being a hodgepodge because I was short on baby cereal. I feel like I'm starting to get the math and science down, and am gaining confidence in just being around the still and working with it, but am just starting to see the 'art' of it all, making cuts by taste rather than by numbers.

Anyway, thanks to you all I've been able to figure out how to build a still that will work for my current needs and capabilities, and have run a few charges now. I've got so much to learn it's not funny, but at least I'm off and runnin'. I'm looking forward to learning much more of this fascinating art.

Just finished that 4th run while I wrote this post, 260ml each of early and late hearts, plus about 700-800ml feints. I'm going to let those hearts sit for now then sample them tomorrow or so, we'll see if they taste any different to me!

Welcome carl1078lewis, It sounds like your well on your way.

Welcome!

carl1078lewis wrote:My wife is cool with whatever I do, as long as I clean up my mess, which I've trained myself to do religiously. Great relationship, I tell ya.

Sounds great, you must be very convincing. something of a visionary perhaps

carl1078lewis wrote:My wife and I cook like mad, as well as make beer, cheese, mushrooms, and much more.

I've been wanting to get into cheese making. Any online resources you'd reccommend to start with / steer clear of?

kiwistiller wrote: ... I've been wanting to get into cheese making. Any online resources you'd reccommend to start with / steer clear of?

Good question, Kiwi.

blanik

In the US, I've had luck getting cheese mold cultures for things like blue/Stilton and Camembert from http://www.thecheesemaker.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow. You can get the cultures in tiny amounts so you can just make a couple and see if you want to drop more money for more of the stuff. There are a lot of very easy cheeses to make, that don't require aging or mold cultures, etc. such as mozzarella, ricotta, paneer, and others. These kinds of cheese can be made in an hour or two usually, whereas the mold cultured cheese takes between 6 weeks and 6 months, so there's some patience involved there. The book I've used most is "Home Cheese Making: Recipes for 75 Delicious Cheeses." 75 cheeses is plenty to keep me busy for a long time!

Sounds like your well on your way man. Tell me more about how this wife thing works? Mine gives me alot of shit for this hobby, and I do it all in the garage! I have to remind her that this is my "least dangerous/illegal hobby"